A pharmaceutical company in New Jersey has received a conditional license from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) for its bird flu vaccine targeting the H5N2 subtype of avian influenza. This vaccine, developed by Zoetis, aims to protect chickens from the highly pathogenic virus that has affected over 150 million birds in the US since February 2022.
According to the company, scientists at Zoetis began working on an updated avian influenza vaccine after a new strain was identified in the US in early 2022. The H5N1 vaccine, which was granted a conditional license in 2016 for use with California condors, will now be used to protect poultry flocks.
Zoetis CEO Jacob Glanville welcomed the news, stating that vaccination of animal populations is the best method of controlling the outbreak and protecting farmers’ interests. However, he noted that the new vaccine has some limitations, including a mismatch between its strain and the circulating virus.
The US CDC has reported 68 cases of human bird flu, but experts see the new vaccine as an important step in reducing transmission. As vaccination becomes available for poultry flocks, it is hoped to mitigate the impact of highly pathogenic avian influenza on both animal populations and farmers’ businesses.
Source: https://www.foxnews.com/health/bird-flu-vaccine-gets-conditional-license-usda-company-announces